Huge thanks to Julie Haworth for persevering through a horrible virus to give us some written answers to our questions instead of our online book club zoom event.

Hi Julie! We’re so sorry not to be chatting to you this evening but thank you for doing this in the written format so we can get a bit more insight into your writing and in particular, Bea’s Book Wagon, which was our book club pick for October 2025. Can you tell us a little about yourself and how you became a writer?

First of all, I just wanted to say I’m how sorry I am that I couldn’t join you all on Zoom tonight. I’ve currently got some awful winter virus and am inhaling steam and gargling salt water in an attempt to get my voice back!

So, I’ve always loved books and reading, my degree was English and American Literature and I went on to become an English teacher. Writing  was something I’ve always dreamt of doing, but I honestly felt as though it was more of an unachievable dream rather than a real-life possibility. I remember visiting a local book festival in February 2020 organised by fellow Essex author and RNA member Lizzie Chantree and chatting to some of the authors there about their own writing journeys. I think that was the first time I felt as though authors weren’t some kind of magical entities, they were real people who had achieved something amazing and maybe, just maybe, I could do the same. The following month the pandemic hit and we were all thrown into lockdown and I suddenly found myself with a lot more time on my hands that I could channel into writing.

What inspired you to start writing cosy, feel-good fiction?

They’re the kind of books I love to read, so it made sense that, as an author, that was the genre I wanted to start writing. The world can be a bleak place at times and, escaping into a good book, taking people away from their everyday troubles and worries, leaving them feeling uplifted and smiling is absolutely what I want to achieve as an author. 

Were there any childhood influences or favourite books that shaped your style?

So, Wuthering Heights, which I studied at A level was the book that really ignited my joy of reading, although I wouldn’t say my style is anything like Emily Bronte’s unfortunately. I also loved books like Malory Towers and The Worst Witch growing up.

How did you come up with the idea for Bea’s Book Wagon?

A friend of mine converted an old horsebox into a mobile food truck selling the most delicious raclette cheese on croissants, nachos and potatoes and I loved the idea but wasn’t quite sure what I could do with it. Then I discovered that Maldon Books, a local independent bookshop near me, actually have a real-life book wagon on the promenade in the summer months and the ideas kind of merged from there and Bea’s Book Wagon was born. 

Have you always been interested in small-town, community-focused stories?

Yes, absolutely, I love books about community and think lots of us want to live that village ‘life in the country’ dream and, in a way, I suppose I’m actually getting to do live that through the books I’m writing. 

Bea makes a huge leap, quitting her job to run a book wagon — was this inspired by real-life events?

I did leave teaching without a plan or another job to go to, so I guess you could say that Bea and I do something in common (although I’ve absolutely never bought a horsebox whilst drunk on tequila). 

That’s so brave to take that leap! How did you create the village of Blossom Heath? Is it based on a real location?

Rye in East Sussex, which does feature in the books, is absolutely a real-life location and it’s where my partner, Chris, is from so I’ve visited lots of time. As I was writing during lockdown, I couldn’t go on research trips so basing something around Rye became the plan.  I’ve kinda picked all my favourite parts from villages that I’ve visited and loved, the duck pond on the green, the mobile fish and chip van, the thatched roof village pub, and pulled them all into one perfect fictional place. 

Rye sounds amazing! Bea is clearly a book lover — did you draw inspiration from any particular real-life bookshops?

Great question and yes absolutely! Maldon Books sparked the book wagon idea itself, and then there are elements from lots of bookshops I’ve loved over the years – probably too many to count! Obviously, the wonderful Tea Leaves & Reads were a huge inspiration with things like their gorgeous subscription boxes and book club Zooms with authors too.

Did you know from the start how Bea’s love life would unfold, or did it evolve while writing?

I knew Lochlan would nearly scupper Bea’s bookshop dream from the off and Nate was ‘the’ guy for her, but I don’t think it could have ended any other way. Lochlan was never the right match for Bea (but I think we all knew that, right?)

We really did, we saw the red flags before she did! How did you decide on the balance between romance, community, and small-business themes?

Ooooh, tricky question and I’m not sure what the answer is!  I feel like all of the elements are important, but ultimately romance is always going to be the biggest chunk of the story with everything else weaving in alongside it, one thing affecting another. 

Bea, Nate, and Lochlan have very different personalities. How did you develop these characters?

I always start a book with a strong sense of who the leading characters are, it’s almost like I feel like I actually know them like a person in real-life, which I appreciate sounds a bit weird. I think things like ‘Oh, Bea would totally do that/buy that/say that/wear that’ and they just sort of become part of my conscious brain whilst I’m writing, like they’re actually ‘in’ your life for a while is the best way I can explain it. It’s also important to think about how different characters react to one another and to different situations. The birthday gifts Nate and Lochlan give Bea is a good example of this – it’s a simple thing but tells you a lot about their characters. 

Those simple thing really do give insight into character don’t they. Bea’s friendships and family relationships are important — how did you approach making them feel authentic?

I’m lucky to have great family and friends in my own life, so I think lots of the relationships potentially stem from my own experiences. I think dialogue is really important when it comes to authenticity e.g. what would a mother actually say/think/do in that situation or what would you tell your friend Bea if she asked you for advice when I’m writing Jess. 

Were any of the characters inspired by real people you know?

Oooh, good question! Not that I’m consciously aware of but I wouldn’t be surprised if bits of people I know/meet leak into characters I write without me realising it. 

Which character was the most fun to write, and why?

Arthur! I love him! Every time I’d write an Arthur scene I’d give a little cheer of delight! I think he’s a very distinctive character – how he talks, dresses, walks etc, so I had a very clear sense of him and I just love everything about him. We all need an Arthur in our lives!

Arthur was just the best, he reminded me of the older man in The Holiday film. Bea seems to have a “meet-cute” with Lochlan — do you enjoy writing romantic tropes like this?

Absolutely! I love the meet-cute between Bea and Lochlan and I think it’s one of the reasons Bea falls so hard for him initially. She’s a romance reader after all and he’s ticking all those Mr Darcy boxes from the off!

Can you walk us through your writing process — planning, drafting, editing?

I tend to start writing without much of a plan and I find the story reveals itself to me as I go along, so I couldn’t tell you what’s going to happen in the next chapter until I finish the one before. I’ve tried planning in the past, but I just can’t do it, writing, for me, is a very organic process and the story sort of unfurls as I go alone. Once I’ve completed my first draft I then go back and edit that before I send to my agent, she usually comes back with some suggestions and when I’m happy that I’ve got the initial draft in the best possible shape it goes off to my editor.  

Do you outline your novels in detail or write more organically?

I’m a pantser not a planner for sure! I’ve probably answered this in the question above but I’m definitely not a planner.

What was the most challenging scene in Bea’s Book Wagon to write?

Probably the scene where Bea crashes the book wagon and Nathan springs into action to help – it was quite a dramatic scene to write and I wanted to make sure that I had the right balance of drama, but also making sure it was realistic.

That scene was so fast-paced and full of action! How do you approach balancing humour, romance, and tension in your stories?

I think about what I look for in a book in terms of those elements to make sure I’m giving the reader everything they need from the story. As I’m writing romance, that’s always the predominant theme, but I do love a bit of drama and, if you’ve read all three of my books, you can probably see that they all take quite a dramatic turn leaving you on the edge of your seat for a while! 

Do you write every day, or do you have a different routine?

I’m definitely not someone with a clearly structured day mapped out, my writing times can be quite random. I run my own copywriting business, so my fiction writing has to be quite flexible and fit in around my client work. This can be a good and a bad thing. I really like having the variety of writing in different formats, one day it can be all about my latest book and the next I’m back to working on client projects. The downside is that when I’m busy writing for clients, I might not have a chance to do anything book related for a few weeks and it can be quite tricky to pick up where I left off! It can take some time to get my head back in the story and remember where I was planning to take things next.

What do you hope readers take away from Bea’s Book Wagon?

Bea is a dynamic character and she realises quite early on in that book that she needs to take action and start creating her own happiness and I think that’s a good message to take away. As long as readers finish Bea’s story feeling uplifted and happy, I’m happy too!

I think we did, the ‘cosy blanket of a book’ was a great description. Are there particular themes in your writing that you find yourself returning to?

Community is a big one for me for sure and that’s something that runs throughout all my books. As does the importance of love in all its forms – friendships, family etc

Do you have favourite cosy or feel-good books that inspire your work?

I’m a massive Heidi Swain and Holly Hepburn fan and have been reading their books for years. It’s very surreal to now be at the same publisher as both of them and have met them in real life!

Have any fan reactions or messages surprised or touched you?

I’ve had messages from readers saying they’ve been having a really bad time of things recently and reading one of my books has helped them and brought them some joy and that makes me unbelievably happy! 

Are you planning a sequel or another story set in Blossom Heath?

Ooooh, interesting! I have another Blossom Heath idea and an idea for a new series too, so I’d actually be really interested to hear what readers would like. Blossom Heath? Or something new? 

How do you interact with readers online or at events?

It’s always a real privilege to meet readers, both online and in person, and it makes everything seem very ‘real’. Here are people standing in front of me that have read the words I’ve put down on the page and that still seems very surreal and unbelievable. As an author, we’re stuck in our office writing most of the time so actually hearing from people that have read the books gives me the fire to want to keep writing! 

What advice would you give aspiring writers of cosy fiction?

Never give up!! Becoming a published author doesn’t have to be an impossible dream, it is something that can happen, no matter how unlikely you think it is. Keep submitting, keep writing and keep going! Being part of the Romantic Novelists’ Association has helped me so much in my writing career, I definitely wouldn’t have been published by now if I hadn’t joined the New Writers Scheme in January 2020. If you love writing, just keep doing it!

Questions sent in from the Audience

Zarina: Can we please have a Christmas novel set in Blossom Heath?!  Anyone that knows me knows that I am a massive grinch (which I think may stem from having a December birthday) so I feel like a Christmas story is unlikely but never say never!

Sarah: If you were to own a business (like the book wagon) what would it be? Ooooh, so I do actually run my own business as a copywriter, but I’d actually love to be a photographer and have my own photography business. 

Sarah: what do you love most about being an Author? This is a tricky one! I think it is probably hearing feedback from readers who have enjoyed the book, that really is amazing and never fails to make me smile. I’ve also loved seeing my books translated into other languages too.

Michaela: Where do you get your plot ideas from? Usually, it’s sparked from somewhere I’ve been or something I’ve done. New Beginnings at the Cosy Cat Cafe was born after I visited a cat cafe in London purely by chance and the spark of an idea started! A similar thing happened with Bea and seeing my friend’s horsebox conversion.

Rosie: Which are your favourite Authors and Why? Heidi Swain and Holly Hepburn definitely! I also love Emily Henry and Taylor Jenkins Reid (Atmosphere was my favourite book this year!). I also love the classics, Brontes, Austen. I think I’m a true romance fan at heart! I do love a happy ever after!

Melanie: if your book was made into a film/ tv series would you cast as the main roles? Great question! Bea – Florence Pugh, Nathan – Jack Lowden and Lochlan – Aaron Taylor-Johnson

Jules: I loved the book containing references to real places in Rye eg the mermaid inn, I just wondered what made you choose to create Bea’s village as a fictitious place. I enjoyed all the quotes from favourite novels.

I think you’ve got a bit more artistic license with a fictional place. I remember Richard Osman saying he put a Waitrose in Ashford in his novels and loads of people complained that there’s not actually one there in real life, so I guess if it’s fictional you avoid that possibility. 

Thanks again to Julie for being our October Book Club Author and answering all of the fabulous questions sent in!